On March 30, 2012, we had the honor of presenting a workshop at the Unity Leadership Conference at the Suffolk Y Jewish Community Center.

We spent two hours with a group of local high school students chosen to participate in a conference designed to expand their world view and enable them to make thoughtful life choices. We presented the concepts that give life to our work at WBLL: development of beloved community, solving problems at the local level, unlocking the healer, artist and teacher within, and helping to build structures in society based on love and peace.

The students were deeply engaged and we had a great discussion before we moved on to the creative leadership project. We invited the students to work, individually or in teams, to create a visual image that represents how they wish to lead in creating a vision of a better world.

The art pieces and the students’ explanations were deeply inspiring. We look forward to working further with this great organization.

On March 16, 2012 we had the pleasure and privilege of presenting two workshops at the annual conference for the Mentoring Partnership of Long Island. The Mentoring Matters Conference was a chance to connect with mentors and mentees in a powerful way.

The day began with an inspiring keynote presentation by former NFL players Keith Davis and Devin Wyman, who gave an inspiring presentation called Right Choices-Right Voices. They spoke of the need to dream a big dream for themselves, and gave them tools they can use to help them make those dreams happen. The children and adults left the presentation highly motivated.

At this point, we presented one of six workshops available for the children. Our workshop, Unlocking the Artist Within: What BETTER Looks Like, asked students to think deeply about a change they wished to create in the world. We then invited them to use a variety of materials to create a visual representation of What BETTER Looks Like to them.

The students, in middle school, created beautiful art to represent their creative vision for change in their lives, communities and world.

After lunch, we presented the workshop to a different group. We were impressed and inspired by the creativity and messages from the children.

March 8, 2012, dawned sunny and warm in New York. It was a perfect day for our Join Me on the Bridge event in celebration of International Women’s Day. This year’s event was focused on the plight of the women in Congo.

The day began in Cadman Plaza Park, where hundreds gathered on the Brooklyn side of the Brooklyn Bridge. WBLL Executive Director and event organizer, Norma Loeb, opened the day with inspiring words about our 100,000 Voices Project on behalf of the women of Congo. She introduced Zainab Salbi of Women for Women, International, who spoke passionately about the need for women to stand together. Reverend Kathleen Casserly prepared us to walk the bridge together with moving words that inspired deep connection.

From there, people walked across the bridge in conversation and conscious connection. When we reached the Manhattan side, we gathered in City Hall Park for a full program of performers and speakers. The program included Carla Goldstein of the Women’s Institute at Omega, Bibiane Tshefu of WILPF-NY;s Congolese Women’s Justice Project, Mallika Dutt of Breakthrough, Susan Davis, founder of BRAC, Arthur Lundquist of NOW, Myron Rolle of the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Victoria Pannell of Youth Move. Twelve-year-old Victoria’s impassioned plea on behalf of the Congolese women was a highlight of the event.

In addition to the speakers, music was provided by the Manhattan Girls Chorus and Michelle Cleary who sang original songs composed for the event.

We hope the day will serve as a catalyst to deeper conversation and action on behalf of the women of Congo and all women globally.

Liz Gannon-Graydon, Co-Founder of What BETTER Looks Like

Myron Rolle, Pittsburg Steeler/ Rhodes Scholar

Zainab Salbi, Founder of Women For Women International

Victorial Pannell of Youth Move

Congolese Community of Central New York

The Manhattan Girls Chorus

Attendees from Northport High School

PHOTOS COURTESY ANDREA REESE © 2012

On the evening of September 28, 2011, some members of our 100,000 Voices Project committee were invited to the home of friends to hear a presentation by Chouchou Namegabe, a Congolese activist, radio journalist and founder and director of the organization South Kivu Association of Women Journalists. It was a gathering of friends and colleagues to raise awareness of the plight of women and, increasingly, men, who are victims of sexual violence in Congo.  The goal of the organization is to work for women's and Congolese women's advancement through available media outlets.

The Specific objectives or the organization are:

• To inform women of their rights and the mechanisms in place to protect those rights.
• To encourage women's freedom of expression.To fight for equal rights between men and women.
• To fight for quantitative and qualitative gender parity in organizations and in all areas of public life.
• To facilitate women's involvement in good governance and the brokering of lasting peace.
• To support activities for women's development by helping them with communication and access to available media outlets.
• To fight against all forms of sexual violence through the media.
• To promote peace through the media.

The evening was extremely moving and informative. There was an active exchange among those who attended after Chouchou’s presentation as to how best to move forward in action.

For a reflection on the evening, please see Liz’s reflection in the Voices section.

On November 7, 2011, Rob and Liz Graydon presented a workshop for educators at the annual conference for the Council for Prejudice Reduction.  The conference, entitled Reducing Prejudice: A Matter of Education, convened innovative thinkers in multiple fields including education, business, law, policy and government to address issues such as bullying, classroom diversity, faith/religion and education and mentoring strategies. The event was held at Stony Brook University’s Charles B. Wang Center.

We had the opportunity to co-present with Stacey Bellem, founder of The Unifying Center, an organization dedicated to the emotional health and well-being of men and boys across the globe.  The day was one of teaching, learning, connecting and creating relationships as we move forward in our work.

On the evening of December 2, 2011, we were invited to Northport High School to participate in their Rescue Me Rally.  The event, on a Friday evening, was held in support of their work with Invisible Children, an organization that uses film, creativity and social action to end the use of child soldiers in central Africa. We were invited to attend by teacher, David Storch, whose work at Northport led him to be named a “Distinguished Teacher 2010” by the Harvard Club of Long Island.  The Rescue Me Rally brought students together to learn about the plight of women and children who are victims of war and violence in central Africa, especially Uganda.

We gathered with the students at 7:00 p.m. We presented our work in Congo and Rwanda, including updates on our upcoming event in Congo in March.  Robin Deluca-Acconi shared information with the students on conflict minerals and how they fuel the violence in Africa. She stressed the importance of conscious consumerism and how the choices we make can affect the lives of people around the world.

The next presenter, Robyn Deutsch, told of the work Miracle Corners of the World, a non-profit organization formed in 1999 with the vision: “Local Change Through Global Exchange.” Their mission is to empower youth to become positive agents of change in their communities. Robyn’s message to the students included the advice to stay informed, get involved locally and globally and travel to expand their personal vision.

Next, we viewed the short film, Rosaline's Story, which tells the story of one of the “Invisible Children” whom we come to know through the film. It was a sad, yet hopeful, story. The students’ reactions to the film were equally powerful.  In commenting on a particularly graphic scene where we meet a woman whose face was mutilated by soldiers, Amanda an Azure observed that they thought the graphic nature of the film was what made it powerful. They felt it made them face the reality of the world and it made them want to get involved and do something. A young man named Jason was struck by the fact that the simplest parts of Rosaline’s story revealed the complexity of life.  He thought that any one of the students at Northport could have been born Rosaline. She loved to sing and dance, and wanted to be a doctor. Jason observed that these things were true of the students gathered at Northport. He believes that everyone shares a collective responsibility for what happens in the world.

After the movie, students created a large paper chain on which each student wrote an action they would take to create positive change in their community.

We are thankful to David Storch and the Northport community for including us and supporting our work. We look forward to a continuing partnership with this extraordinary teacher and school community.

On March 8, 2011, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day, co-founders Rob and Liz Graydon, along with their two sons, joined Women for Women in their walk across the Brooklyn Bridge.

Women for Women International provides women survivors of war, civil strife and other conflicts with the tools and resources to move from crisis and poverty to stability and self-sufficiency, thereby promoting viable civil societies.  Their work builds bridges between women, and they sponsored 450 bridge events in 70 countries.

We met at Cadman Plaza Park, at the foot of the bridge in Brooklyn.  There, Women for Women’s founder, Zainab Salbi, spoke to us about the importance of the day, and the importance of standing together for women.  We each were given a piece of cloth from Rwanda, and held them as we crossed.

When we reached the Manhattan side of the bridge we gathered in front of City Hall, where Zainab, Russell Simmons, Lauren Bush and others lent their voices to the cause of equality for women.

Women for Women is an organization very close to us at What BETTER Looks Like.  Several of us sponsor sisters in Rwanda and Congo.  On our recent visit to Rwanda, we were able to visit the Women for Women center, and meet the sisters of  Norma Loeb and Kathleen Casserly.

Please visit Women for Women’s site, and support their work in whatever way you can.

FORDHAM UNIVERSITY’S GRADUATE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SERVICE

PRESENTS

An interactive workshop

Sunday, April 3^rd, 2011 - 11am to 4pm

Fordham University, Lincoln Center

113 W. 60^th Street  New York, NY 10023

12^th Floor Lounge

Proceeds will help support Nyarugunga Village, Rwanda.

Please join us for an inspiring workshop that will include:

• An exploration of what BETTER would look like to you. Explore what BETTER would look like in you own life. Activities are designed to inspire each attendee to visualize their own “better” and connect them with tools that will help create this vision.
• Interactive group discussions. We will explore Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision of “Beloved Community” and how we can best make positive change in our own communities.
• Short Film and Discussion: Amahoro Women – What BETTER Looks Like.  Founding members of What BETTER Looks Like journeyed to Rwanda and Congo this past November to help create our own vision of What BETTER Looks Like to us.  We will screen the short film and explore how our journey can help you visualize and create your own better life and world.

Workshop Fee: $60 per person, luncheon included

Seating is limited so advanced registration is highly recommended

For further Information please email Liz at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 516.640.5929

Find us on Facebook – www.facebook.com/whatbetterlookslike

What BETTER Looks Like, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization.  Tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) is currently pending.

Originally published: December 28, 2010 7:42 PM
By MARY ELLEN WALSH. Special to Newsday

Back from a two-week trip to Africa, a group of seven women - five from Long Island - say that of all their experiences on the journey, one of the most remarkable occurred in Rwanda. There, in the land devastated by genocide in 1994, they learned a lesson in forgiveness.

"I didn't think it was possible for someone from a former Hutu, Tutsi or Batwa tribe to live next door to a neighbor responsible for the death of their loved ones," said Priscilla Hernandez of Manhattan.

In the fall, the women visited villages, built since the genocide, where residents told them it was common for people who had killed to live next to families of people who had been killed. The residents now consider themselves Rwandans instead of tribal members, they said.

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Article from Northport Long Island's THE OBSERVER, December 9th, 2010:

Rescue Me Rally at Northport High School raises money to protect African children

A group of about 60 Northport High School students involved with the Schools for Schools program staged a Rescue Me Rally Friday, December 3 in the school library at which they raised more than $3,000 for an early warning radio network to protect villagers in the African nation of Democratic Republic of Congo from terrorist rebels.

To raise money at the Resue Me Rally, Northport High School students solicited sponsorships to attend the three-hour rally at which they watched a documentary film, Invisible Children: Rough Cut, about the abduction of more than 30,000 African children by the rebel force of Joseph Kony, leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). Also at the rally were three representatives of What Better Looks Like, founder Liz Gannon-Graydon and board member Norma Loeb and Robin Deluca-Acconi, who spoke to the students about their recent trip to Rwanda and Congo.

Read more...